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Abstract: As the world manages the impact of a global pandemic caused by COVID-19, the discovery of new antiviral agents has become way more relevant and urgent. Viruses are submicroscopic infectious agents that replicate inside the living cells of different organisms. These viruses use nucleic acids (both DNA and RNA) for further replication and maturity inside the cells. Some of the viruses responsible for various human and plant diseases belong to the classes of Picornaviridae, Retroviridae, Orthomyxoviri-dae, Flaviviridae, Pneumoviridae, Virgaviridae, and Hepadnaviridae, and their treatment options are lim-ited or non-existent. The consistent reemergence and resistance development in the viral strains demand the discovery and development of new antiviral drugs possessing better efficacy. Bio-active compounds isolated from fungi can be the source of new compounds with enhanced potency and new mechanisms of action. Fungi are known to produce a diverse lot of secondary metabolites due to their existence in harsh and testing climates which are often inhabitable for many organisms. Because of these unique environ-ments, fungi produce a variety of secondary metabolites of different chemical classes like alkaloids, qui-nones, furanone, pyrones, benzopyranoids, xanthones, terpenes, steroids, peptides, and many acyclic com-pounds. Fungal metabolites are known to display a wide range of bioactive attributes, i.e., anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-Alzheimer's, along with antiviral properties. In this review article, we report over 300 antiviral compounds from fungal sources during the period of 2009 to 2019. The source of these compounds is marine and endophytic fungi and they are arranged based on their antiviral action against different viral families. These compounds offer promise for their use and development as future antiviral drugs. more...

The efficiency of four species of wax degrading bacteria, Serratia marcescens (Bizio) (Enterobacterales:Yersiniaceae), Pseudomonas putida (Trevisan) (Pseudomonadales: Pseudomonadaceae), Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) (Bacillales:Bacillaceae) and Bacillus cereus (Frankland & Frankland) (Bacillales:Bacillaceae) for the management of a major citrus pest, the mealybug, Planococcus citri (Green) (Hemiptera:Pseudococcidae) was evaluated. The degrading ability of the bacteria, isolated from cadavers of P. citri was assessed in vitro on wax extracted from the mealybug, paraffin wax and low-density polyfilm along with lipase activity. Except B. cereus, all bacteria showed significant lethal and debilitating effects against P. citri in laboratory bioassays. Even though, we did not observe any lethal effect on 1st and 2nd instar nymphs, in the latter instars mortality rate could reach as high as 70.0% in case of S. marcescens. Adults that survived bacterial treatments had significantly reduced female longevity, fecundity and adult formation. In greenhouse trail conducted under controlled conditions, it was found that S. marcescens was the most promising bacteria in managing P. citri population after 14 days of application causing around 36.5% mortality of crawlers coupled with a significant reduction in the wax content and weight of mealybug. However, its application followed by a single spray of half a dose of chlorpyrifos at weekly intervals further enhanced the mortality rate up to 54.0%. Therefore, we conclude that sequential application of S. marcescens followed by a single spray of a half a dose of insecticide is effective for management of the P. citri. more...

CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) plays fundamental roles in transcriptional regulation and chromatin architecture maintenance. CTCF is also a tumour suppressor frequently mutated in cancer, however, the structural and functional impact of mutations have not been examined. We performed molecular and structural characterisation of five cancer-specific CTCF missense zinc finger (ZF) mutations occurring within key intra- and inter-ZF residues. Functional characterisation of CTCF ZF mutations revealed a complete (L309P, R339W, R377H) or intermediate (R339Q) abrogation as well as an enhancement (G420D) of the anti-proliferative effects of CTCF. DNA binding at select sites was disrupted and transcriptional regulatory activities abrogated. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics confirmed that mutations in residues specifically contacting DNA bases or backbone exhibited loss of DNA binding. However, R339Q and G420D were stabilised by the formation of new primary DNA bonds, contributing to gain-of-function. Our data confirm that a spectrum of loss-, change- and gain-of-function impacts on CTCF zinc fingers are observed in cell growth regulation and gene regulatory activities. Hence, diverse cellular phenotypes of mutant CTCF are clearly explained by examining structure–function relationships. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00018-021-03946-z. more...

Vigna is a large, pan-tropic and highly variable group of the legumes family which is known for its > 10 cultivated species having significant commercial value for their nutritious grains and multifarious uses. The wild vignas are considered a reservoir of numerous useful traits which can be deployed for introgression of resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, seed quality and enhanced survival capability in extreme environments. Nonetheless, for their effective utilization through introgression breeding information on their genetic diversity, population structure and crossability is imperative. Keeping this in view, the present experiment was undertaken with 119 accessions including 99 wild Vigna accessions belonging to 19 species and 18 cultivated genotypes of Vigna and 2 of Phaseolus. Total 102 polymorphic SSRs were deployed to characterize the material at molecular level which produced 1758 alleles. The genotypes were grouped into four major clusters which were further sub-divided in nine sub-clusters. Interestingly, all cultivated species shared a single cluster while no such similarities were observed for the wild accessions as these were distributed in different groups of sub-clusters. The co-dominant allelic data of 114 accessions were then utilized for obtaining status of the accessions and their hybrid forms. The model-based population structure analysis categorized 114 accessions of Vigna into 6 genetically distinct sub-populations (K = 6) following admixture-model based simulation with varying levels of admixture. 91 (79.82%) accessions resembled their hierarchy and 23 (20.18%) accessions were observed as the admixture forms. Maximum number of accessions (25) were grouped in sub-population (SP) 6 and the least accessions were grouped in SP3 and SP5 (11 each). The population genetic structure, therefore, supported genetic diversity analysis and provided an insight into the genetic lineage of these species which will help in effective use of germplasm for development of cultivars following selective prebreeding activities. more...

The full array of cold-responsive cell types within white adipose tissue that drive thermogenic beige adipocyte biogenesis remains undefined. We demonstrate that acute cold challenge elicits striking transcriptomic changes specifically within DPP4+ PDGFRβ+ adipocyte precursor cells, including a β-adrenergic receptor CREB-mediated induction in the expression of the prothermogenic cytokine, Il33. Doxycycline-inducible deletion of Il33 in PDGFRβ+ cells at the onset of cold exposure attenuates ILC2 accumulation and beige adipocyte accrual. These studies highlight the multifaceted roles for adipocyte progenitors and the ability of select mesenchymal subpopulations to relay neuronal signals to tissue-resident immune cells in order to regulate tissue plasticity. more...

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 variant emerged in the Indian state of Maharashtra in late 2020. There have been fears that 2 key mutations seen in the receptor-binding domain, L452R and E484Q, would have additive effects on evasion of neutralizing antibodies. We report that spike bearing L452R and E484Q confers modestly reduced sensitivity to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies following either first or second dose. The effect is similar in magnitude to the loss of sensitivity conferred by L452R or E484Q alone. These data demonstrate reduced sensitivity to vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibodies by L452R and E484Q but lack of synergistic loss of sensitivity. more...

Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae and sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani, are the two major diseases of rice that cause enormous losses in rice production worldwide. Identification and utilization of broad-spectrum resistance resources have been considered sustainable and effective strategies. However, the majority of the resistance genes and QTLs identified have often been found to be race-specific, and their resistance is frequently broken down due to continuous exposure to the pathogen. Therefore, integrated approaches to improve plant resistance against such devastating pathogen have great importance. Silicon (Si), a beneficial element for plant growth, has shown to provide a prophylactic effect against many pathogens. The application of Si helps the plants to combat the disease-causing pathogens, either through its deposition in different parts of the plant or through modulation/induction of specific defense genes by yet an unknown mechanism. Some reports have shown that Si imparts resistance to rice blast and sheath blight. The present review summarizes the mechanism of Si transport and deposition and its effect on rice growth and development. A special emphasis has been given to explore the existing evidence showing Si mediated blast and sheath blight resistance and the mechanism involved in resistance. This review will help to understand the prophylactic effects of Si against sheath blight and blast disease at the mechanical, physiological, and genetic levels. The information provided here will help develop a strategy to explore Si derived benefits for sustainable rice production. more...

Objectives: Pertussis is a highly contagious disease of the respiratory tract caused by Bordetella pertussis, a bacterium that lives in the mouth, nose, and throat. Current study reports the highly accurate complete genomes of two clinical B. pertussis strains from India for the first time. Methods: Complete genome sequencing was performed for two B. pertussis strains using Ion Torrent PGM and Oxford nanopore sequencing method. Data was assembled de novo and the sequence annotation was performed through PATRIC and NCBI server. Downstream analyses of the isolates were performed using CGE server databases for antimicrobial resistance genes, plasmids, and sequence types. The phylogenetic analysis was performed using Roary. Results: The analysis revealed insertional elements flanked by IS481, which has been previously regarded as the important component for bacterial evolution. The two B. pertussis clinical strains exhibited diversity through genome degradation when compared to whole-cell vaccine reference strains of India. These isolates harboured multiple genetic virulence traits and toxin subunits, which belonged to sequence type ST2. Conclusion: The genome information of Indian clinical B. pertussis strains will serve as a baseline data to decipher more information on the genome evolution, virulence factors and their role in pathogenesis for effective vaccine strategies. more...

The present communication reports the occurrence of a serious mite pest, Tetranychus hypogeae on Blood Beauty and Tajmahal varieties of rose at Horticulture garden of Ramkrishna Mission, Narendrapur during summer season of 2021. The study on its life cycle under laboratory condition revels that it took 11.20 ± 1.15 days, fecundity as 34.00 ± 1.15 eggs, longevity (♀) as 12.12 ± 1.15 days and sex ratio being 1:3. The result of the bio-efficacy study with green pesticides indicates that the mean mortality was highest in Parthenium leaf extract (86.31%) followed by Lantana camara leaf extract (82.04%) and NSKE alcoholic extract (81.68%), while NSKE aqueous extract was poorest among all registering only 37.86% mortality. However, all the green pesticides proved having acaricidal effects. more...

Flow cytometric (FCM) immunophenotyping is an important tool for generating diagnostic and prognostic information in plasma cell dyscrasias. This study aimed to evaluate the immunophenotype and ploidy status of plasma cells (PCs) in patients of myeloma and its correlation with other laboratory parameters. Bone marrow of 70 newly diagnosed cases of myeloma were subjected to FCM using a panel of antibodies; CD138, CD38, CD19, CD45, CD28, CD81, CD56, CD200, and CD229. FxCycle Violet (FCV) dye was used for the ploidy analysis of clonal PCs. Median age was 60 years with M:F ratio of 3.2:1. A positive correlation was noted between the morphological and FCM-based PC enumeration (r = 0.4, p = 0.001). Aberrant expression of CD56, CD200, CD28, CD117, CD81 and CD19 and was observed in 88.5%, 77%, 29%, 37%, 23% and 17% cases respectively. Two aberrant antigens were noted in all cases. CD81 + cases had a relatively higher quantity of monoclonal-protein (> 1 g/dl, p 2 mg/dl, p more...

The use of cannabis for skin diseases and hair regrowth is at the preliminary stage. Legalization Many countries have approved cannabis for medical use; however, four countries Canada, Uruguay, South Africa, and Georgia have legalized it for both medical and recreational purposes. The endocannabinoid system The endocannabinoid system may maintain skin homeostasis; two notable endocannabinoids include 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA). Routes of administration and pharmacokinetics Topical cannabinoids can avoid the first-pass metabolism and reduce respiratory side effects; however, the high hydrophobicity of cannabinoids may hinder percutaneous absorption. Skin disorders and hair growth Human clinical studies suggest that cannabinoids may be used in eczema, acne, pruritus, and systemic sclerosis treatment. Cannabidiol (CBD) may enhance hair growth via multiple mechanisms. Safety Topical cannabis may cause mild side effects such as pruritus, burning, erythema, and stinging; they are relatively safer than inhalation and oral cannabis. Cannabis use may be associated with allergic symptoms and reduced immune response to live vaccination. Cannabinoids in practice Despite growing interest, dermatologists should be cautious prescribing cannabinoids due to insufficient clinical data on both efficacy and safety. more...

Therapeutic efficacy of hydro-methanolic extract of M. oleifera was evaluated in lactating cows with Staphylococcusaureus clinicalmastitis.Mastiticcows,screened and selected on the basis of CMT,SCC and cultural examination, were divided in two groups of five animals each.Intra-mammary infusion of Hydro-methanolic extract of M.oleifera @1 g / 10 ml of PBS intramammary once daily for 7 days resulted in reduction of 90.9%,93.04 % and 83.98% inCMT, SCC and TBC on day 14 of treatment which was comparable with that of group I with ceftriaxone. more...

The placenta is a highly vascularized and complex foetal organ that performs various tasks, crucial to a healthy pregnancy. Its dysfunction leads to complications such as stillbirth, preeclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction. The specific cause of placental dysfunction remains unknown. Recently, the role of mitochondrial function and mitochondrial adaptations in the context of angiogenesis and placental dysfunction is getting more attention. The required energy for placental remodelling, nutrient transport, hormone synthesis, and the reactive oxygen species leads to oxidative stress, stemming from mitochondria. Mitochondria adapt to environmental changes and have been shown to adjust their oxygen and nutrient use to best support placental angiogenesis and foetal development. Angiogenesis is the process by which blood vessels form and is essential for the delivery of nutrients to the body. This process is regulated by different factors, pro-angiogenic factors and anti-angiogenic factors, such as sFlt-1. Increased circulating sFlt-1 levels have been linked to different preeclamptic phenotypes. One of many effects of increased sFlt-1 levels, is the dysregulation of mitochondrial function. This review covers mitochondrial adaptations during placentation, the importance of the anti-angiogenic factor sFlt-1in placental dysfunction and its role in the dysregulation of mitochondrial function. more...

Purpose Fish is an excellent source of protein and vitamins for humans, but improperly handled, fish can expose consumers to pathogenic bacteria. This study was aimed to isolate and characterize the genomes of Salmonella strains isolated from imported fish sold in the open market in Ouagadougou. Methods One hundred and fifty-nine fish were collected from open markets and were cultured for Salmonella. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by broth microdilution. Whole-genome sequencing was done to further study antibiotic resistance genes, plasmid replicons, and MSLT types. Serotyping was done using SeqSero 2. Result Out of the 159 fish samples analyzed, 30 (18.9%) were found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Among the isolated Salmonella strains, six different serotypes, Nima, Liverpool, Kokomlemle, Teshie, Derby, and Tennessee, were found using SeqSero2. Salmonella Tennessee was the predominant serotype. All the isolates possessed at least one resistance gene. The aac6-Iaa aminoglycoside resistance gene was the most prevalent gene found in the strains. The gene fosA7 was detected in three strains. All the S. Nima isolates were of Multilocus Sequence Type (MLST) 8086, S. Teshie isolate was ST 530; Liverpool was ST 1959; Derby was ST 7880; Kokomlemle was ST 2696. The Tennessee isolates gave two different STs including ST 8395 and 8398. Conclusion The presented results highlight the prevalence of Salmonella on imported fish purchased from the open markets. More attention should be paid regarding fish selling conditions in the country to prevent the potential health risk for consumers. more...

Catharanthus roseus is known for its scarce and expensive anticancer bisindole alkaloids, vincristine and vinblastine, which are derived from the coupling of monomeric terpenoid indole alkaloids, catharanthine and vindoline. Vindoline represents the bottleneck in bisindole semi-synthesis as unlike catharanthine, its biosynthesis is restricted to the plant leaves, which are the only commercially-viable source for it. For reducing the exorbitant cost of bisindoles, identification of C. roseus genotypes accumulating higher-than-usual amount of vindoline is urgently required. Here, one such vindoline-rich genotype (CIMAP866) was identified and characterized. It was comparatively analyzed with elite varieties, Dhawal and Nirmal, for morphology, genetic profile, leaf vindoline content (% dry weight), elemental composition, and expression pattern of alkaloid biosynthetic genes. Its vindoline content (~0.20%) was significantly higher than that of Dhawal (~0.09%) and Nirmal (~0.04%). CIMAP866 possesses dwarf character, spreading/bushy growth, wider canopy, shorter petiole and internodes, more laticifers, higher chlorophyll content, altered content of certain elements and distinct genetic profile, as compared to the other genotypes. Significantly higher dat expression in CIMAP866 was a key determinant for its vindoline-rich nature. Vindoline content was a direct function of dat expression and laticifer number. This study has provided a lead towards developing an industrially-useful C. roseus variety. more...

Plantagos are important economical and medicinal plants that possess several bioactive secondary metabolites, such as phenolics, iridoids, triterpenes, and alkaloids. Triterpenoids are the ubiquitous and dynamic secondary metabolites that are deployed by plants for chemical interactions and protection under biotic/abiotic stress. Plantago ovata, a cultivated species, is the source of psyllium, while Plantago major, a wild species, has significant therapeutic potential. Wild species are considered more tolerant to stressful conditions in comparison to their cultivated allies. In view of this, the present study aimed to decipher the terpenoid biosynthetic pathway operative in P. ovata and P. major using a comparative transcriptomics approach. Majority of terpenoid biosynthetic genes were observed as upregulated in P. major including rate limiting genes of MVA (HMGR) and MEP (DXR) pathways and genes (α-AS, BAS, SM, and CYP716) involved in ursolic acid biosynthesis, an important triterpenoid prevalent in Plantago species. The HPLC output further confirmed the higher concentration of ursolic acid in P. major as compared to P. ovata leaf samples, respectively. In addition to terpenoid biosynthesis, KEGG annotation revealed the involvement of differentially expressed unigenes in several metabolic pathways, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, biosynthesis of antibiotics, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. MYB was found as the most abundant transcription factor family in Plantago transcriptome. We have been able to generate valuable information which can help in improving terpenoid production in Plantago. Additionally, the present study has laid a strong foundation for deciphering other important metabolic pathways in Plantago. more...

Background and objective With the widespread use of antifungals to treat superficial mycoses, reports of antifungal resistance are increasing. Antifungal resistance is becoming a public health challenge and needs to be addressed in parallel with antibacterial and antiviral resistance. Methods We review the growing resistance of fungal pathogens such as Trichophyton species and the emergence of novel pathogens, including multidrug-resistant strains in superficial mycoses. We also discuss the importance of laboratory diagnosis and antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) in the management of recalcitrant infections. Results and conclusion Antifungal resistance can occur naturally or develop over time when fungi are exposed to antifungals. The frequency of terbinafine-resistant Trichophyton isolates is increasing. Opportunistic pathogens such as Aspergillus and Candida species have developed resistance to classic azoles such as itraconazole and fluconazole, and the newer azoles such as posaconazole and voriconazole. Although uncommon, topical antifungals such as efinaconazole and tavaborole have shown to induce resistance in Trichophyton rubrum. The emergence of multidrug-resistant Trichophyton mentagrophytes/interdigitale, Candida auris, and Aspergillus species causing severe infections is highly concerning. Routine AFST should be considered to determine the most effective treatment, especially if there is failure to therapy. Combination treatment of oral and topical antifungals may be a consideration for managing recalcitrant infections. more...

Codon usage bias influences the genetic features prevalent in genomes of all the organisms. It also plays a crucial role in establishing the host-pathogen relationship. The present study elucidates the role of codon usage pattern regarding the predilection of fungal pathogens Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides towards host plant Zingiber officinale. We found a similar trend of codon usage pattern operative in plant and fungal pathogens. This concurrence might be attributed for the colonization of fungal pathogens in Z. officinale. The transcriptome of both plant and pathogens showed bias towards GC-ending codons. Natural selection and mutational pressure seem to be accountable for shaping the codon usage pattern of host and pathogen. We also identified some distinctive preferred codons in A. flavus, F. oxysporum and Z. officinale that could be regarded as signature codons for the identification of these organisms. Knowledge of favored, avoided and unique codons will help to devise strategies for reducing spice losses due to fungal pathogens. more...

Variability in enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidants could be useful for breeding genotypes tolerant to different abiotic stresses. The objective of present study was to determine the variability in enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidants in wheat at three different stages of development including leaves of vegetative stage, flag leaf stage after 5 days of anthesis and in mature grains. Forty wheat genotypes including 10 commercial cultivars, 5 rainfed cultivars, 17 advanced breeding lines and 8 Australian cultivars were raised under irrigated conditions. At vegetative stage, high activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX), glutathione reductase (GR) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and low hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content was observed in many of the advanced breeding lines, while high proline and low malondialdehyde (MDA) content was observed in many commercial cultivars. In flag leaf after 5 days of anthesis higher activity of SOD and APX was observed in many of rain-fed cultivars; many commercial cultivars showed high activity of POX and GR while low H2O2 content was observed in many of Australian cultivars. Ruby, Binnu and Datatine have low H2O2 and MDA content so they could be used for studying tolerance towards different types of abiotic stresses. PBW 550 showed high antioxidant activity in leaves during vegetative and flag leaf stage, it could be worthwhile to study the performance of this cultivar under different abiotic stresses. Variability was also observed in mature grains of different wheat genotypes. In mature grains high proline content was observed in many of rain-fed cultivars while less GR, CAT and APX activity was observed in many of Australian genotypes. Mature grains of wheat genotypes PBW 644, PBW542, DBW 16, DBW 17, WH 1021, PBW 676, BWL 73 and PBW 175 have high activity of APX, GR and some have high proline content. In general genotypes with high enzymatic antioxidants and low H2O2 and MDA content may be useful for studying tolerance towards different abiotic stresses. Genotypes with high antioxidants were identified for possible use in wheat breeding programme. more...

Background The selective reduction of memory TH2 cell responses could be key to affording tolerance and protection from the recurrence of damaging allergic pathology. Objective We asked whether TNF family costimulatory molecules cooperated to promote accumulation and reactivity of effector memory CD4 T cells to inhaled complex allergen, and whether their neutralization could promote airway tolerance to subsequent reexposure to allergen. Methods Mice were sensitized intraperitoneally or intranasally with house dust mite and challenged with intranasal allergen after memory had developed. We assessed whether single or combined blockade of OX40L/CD252 and CD30L/CD153 inhibited memory T cells from driving acute asthmatic lung inflammation and protected mice following exposure to allergen at a later time. Results OX40- or CD30-deficient animals showed strong or partial protection against allergic airway inflammation; however, neutralizing either molecule alone during the secondary response to allergen had little effect on the frequency of effector memory CD4 T cells formed and acute lung inflammation. In contrast, a significant reduction in eosinophilic inflammation was observed when OX40L and CD30L were simultaneously neutralized, with dual blockade inhibiting effector memory TH2 cell expansion in the lungs, whereas formation of peripherally induced regulatory T cells remained intact. Moreover, dual blockade during the secondary response resulted in a tolerogenic state such that mice did not develop a normal tertiary memory TH2 cell and lung inflammatory response when challenged weeks later with allergen. Conclusion Memory T-cell responses to complex allergens are controlled by several TNF costimulatory interactions, and their combination targeting might represent a strategy to reduce the severity of inflammatory reactions following reexposure to allergen. more...

Background Tinea capitis is a common fungal infection in Israel, most commonly caused by the dermatophyte Trichophyton tonsurans. Objectives To investigate the effectiveness of oral antifungal monotherapy in producing clinical or complete cure. We also evaluated the impact of topical therapy (bifonazole 1% shampoo and/or betamethasone valerate 0.1% solution), prior to oral treatment, on patients' likelihood of clinical or complete cure. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted. Patients with mycologically confirmed tinea capitis were treated with one of four regimens: (1) terbinafine (greater than 40 kg: 250 mg/day, 20 to 40 kg: 125 mg/day, less than 20 kg: 62.5 mg/day), (2) itraconazole 5 mg/kg daily, (3) fluconazole 6 mg/kg daily, or (4) griseofulvin 20 mg/kg daily. We used generalized linear models (GLM) to determine whether there was a significant association between the odds of cure and choice of treatment. Results The causative species was Trichophyton tonsurans in all but 6 cases that grew T violaceum. For pediatric patients, the odds of having complete or clinical cure within 6 weeks was greater if they used terbinafine compared to itraconazole, fluconazole, or griseofulvin (odds ratio [OR] = 9.06, P = .047). The likelihood of complete or clinical cure within 8 weeks of oral therapy was lower if topical steroids were previously used compared to if topical antifungals were used prior to systemic treatment (OR = 0.29, P = .046). Conclusions Our findings substantiate prior literature demonstrating that terbinafine is non-inferior to griseofulvin, itraconazole, and fluconazole in the therapy of pediatric tinea capitis caused by T tonsurans. more...

Lentils are highly sensitive to abrupt increases in temperature during the mid to late reproductive stages, leading to severe biomass and seed yield reduction. Therefore, we carried out an RNAseq analysis between IG4258 (heat tolerant) and IG3973 (heat sensitive) lentil genotypes at the reproductive stage under both normal and heat stress conditions in the field. It resulted in 209,549 assembled transcripts and among these 161,809 transcripts had coding regions, of which 94,437 transcripts were annotated. The differential gene expression analysis showed upregulation of 678 transcripts and downregulation of 680 transcripts between the tolerant and sensitive genotypes at the early reproductive stage. While 76 transcripts were upregulated and 47 transcripts were downregulated at the late reproductive stage under heat stress conditions. The validation of 12 up-or downregulated transcripts through RT-PCR corresponded well with the expression analysis data of RNAseq, with a correlation of R2 = 0.89. Among these transcripts, the DN364_c1_g1_i9 and DN2218_c0_g1_i5 transcripts encoded enzymes involved in the tryptophan pathway, indicating that tryptophan biosynthesis plays a role under heat stress in lentil. Moreover, KEGG pathways enrichment analysis identified transcripts associated with genes encoding proteins/regulating factors related to different metabolic pathways including signal transduction, fatty acid biosynthesis, rRNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis, and riboflavin biosynthesis. This analysis also identified 6852 genic-SSRs leading to the development of 4968 SSR primers that are potential genomic resources for molecular mapping of heat-tolerant genes in lentil. more...

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of factors like hormones, antisperm antibody (ASA), and oxidative stress and its relation with semen quality in crossbred bulls. Ejaculates from two bulls were categorized into good ( more...

The Heat shock proteins 90 family plays pivotal roles in root growth and plant development. Its isoforms have been identified in several plant species with transcripts presents in almost all stages of plant growth. However, its functional relevance has not been completely established. Therefore, in this study, we provide evidence about the role of SlHSP90.2 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) root development. Using tomato cultivars with differing root phenotypes, we have shown that SlHSP90.2 transcripts are in accordance with root architecture, i.e. high rooting cultivars had more expression of SlHSP90.2 as compared to low rooting cultivars. Moreover, overexpression of SlHSP90.2 gene in transgenic tomato plants showed significant increase in root biomass and architecture, as evident from the analysis of fresh and dry weights of root and shoot samples, primary root length and length and number of lateral roots. The transgenic lines are also more tolerant to salinity and drought stresses. The results of the present study suggest that genetic manipulation of HSP90.2 homologs in other crops can offer promising leads to develop plant with better root biomass and architecture and improved agronomics traits, like better water and mineral absorption, salinity and drought tolerance potential. more...

Insulin receptor (IR) expression on the T cell surface can indicate an activated state; however, the IR is also chemotactic, enabling T cells with high IR expression to physically move toward insulin. In humans with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and the NOD mouse model, a T cell–mediated autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic β cells occurs. In previous work, when purified IR+ and IR− T cells were sorted from diabetic NOD mice and transferred into irradiated nondiabetic NOD mice, only those that received IR+ T cells developed insulitis and diabetes. In this study, peripheral blood samples from individuals with T1D (new onset to 14 y of duration), relatives at high-risk for T1D, defined by positivity for islet autoantibodies, and healthy controls were examined for frequency of IR+ T cells. High-risk individuals had significantly higher numbers of IR+ T cells as compared with those with T1D (p < 0.01) and controls (p < 0.001); however, the percentage of IR+ T cells in circulation did not differ significantly between T1D and control subjects. With the hypothesis that IR+ T cells traffic to the pancreas in T1D, we developed a (to our knowledge) novel mouse model exhibiting a FLAG-tagged mouse IR on T cells on the C57BL/6 background, which is not susceptible to developing T1D. Interestingly, these C57BL/6-CD3FLAGmIR/mfm mice showed evidence of increased IR+ T cell trafficking into the islets compared with C57BL/6 controls (p < 0.001). This transgenic animal model provides a (to our knowledge) novel platform for investigating the influence of IR expression on T cell trafficking and the development of insulitis. more...

Introduction Varying public views on cannabis use across countries may explain the variation in the prevalence of use, policies, and research in individual countries, and global regulation of cannabis. This paper aims to describe the current state of cannabis use, policies, and research across sixteen countries. Methods PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for studies published from 2010 to 2020. Searches were conducted using the relevant country of interest as a search term (e.g., “Iran”), as well as relevant predefined keywords such as “cannabis,” “marijuana,” “hashish,” “bhang “dual diagnosis,” “use,” “addiction,” “prevalence,” “co-morbidity,” “substance use disorder,” “legalization” or “policy” (in English and non-English languages). These keywords were used in multiple combinations to create the search string for studies’ titles and abstracts. Official websites of respective governments and international organizations were also searched in English and non-English languages (using countries national languages) to identify the current state of cannabis use, policies, and research in each of those countries. Results The main findings were inconsistent and heterogeneous reporting of cannabis use, variation in policies (e.g., legalization), and variation in intervention strategies across the countries reviewed. European countries dominate the cannabis research output indexed on PubMed, in contrast to Asian countries (Thailand, Malaysia, India, Iran, and Nepal). Conclusions Although global cannabis regulation is ongoing, the existing heterogeneities across countries in terms of policies and epidemiology can increase the burden of cannabis use disorders disproportionately and unpredictably. There is an urgent need to develop global strategies to address these cross-country barriers to improve early detection, prevention, and interventions for cannabis use and related disorders. more...

We identify amino acid variants within dominant SARS-CoV-2 T-cell epitopes by interrogating global sequence data. Several variants within nucleocapsid and ORF3a epitopes have arisen independently in multiple lineages and result in loss of recognition by epitope-specific T-cells assessed by IFN-γ and cytotoxic killing assays. Complete loss of T-cell responsiveness was seen due to Q213K in the A*01:01-restricted CD8+ ORF3a epitope FTSDYYQLY207-215, due to P13L, P13S and P13T in the B*27:05-restricted CD8+ nucleocapsid epitope QRNAPRITF9-17, and due to T362I and P365S in the A*03:01/A*11:01-restricted CD8+ nucleocapsid epitope KTFPPTEPK361-369. CD8+ T-cell lines unable to recognise variant epitopes have diverse T-cell receptor repertoires. These data demonstrate the potential for T-cell evasion and highlight the need for ongoing surveillance for variants capable of escaping T-cell as well as humoral immunity., Graphical Abstract more...

Nanomaterials that demonstrate multi-enzyme activities have increasingly gained interest due to their potential applications in point-of-care diagnostics. In the present work, polyvinylpyrrolidone-functionalized bimetallic IrPt alloy nanostructures (PVP/IrPt ANs) exhibited excellent peroxidase-, oxidase-, and catalase-like activities were synthesized with a reflux-assisted one-pot wet chemical process. The use of PVP as stabilizer and surfactant during the synthesis produced monodisperse nanoparticles (NPs) with average diameter of 4.1 nm. The PVP/IrPt ANs catalyze the oxidation of H2O2, TMB, and amplex red through the peroxidase and oxidase biomimetic activities. The kinetic parameters of PVP/IrPt ANs were measured to demonstrate their enhanced enzyme-like behavior relative to previously reported bimetallic nanozymes. The oxidase- and peroxidase-like activities of PVP/IrPt ANs were employed for efficient colorimetric and fluorescent detection of H2O2 concentrations. Moreover, the multi-enzyme activity of PVP/IrPt ANs was coupled with the glucose oxidase activity to fabricate colorimetric and fluorometric glucose sensors. The colorimetric glucose sensor revealed a broad detection range of 2.5 µM – 1.5 mM, while the fluorometric sensor showed excellent limit of detection (LOD) of 177.5 nM. In comparison, colorimetric detection can be easily visualized by the naked eye, demonstrate good selectivity, and recovery of glucose from spiked biological and food samples. more...

Rising tropospheric ozone (O3) is a serious threat to plants and animals in the present climate change scenario. High tropospheric O3 has the capability to disrupt cellular organelles leading to impaired photosynthesis and significant yield reduction. Apoplast and chloroplast are two important cellular components in a plant system. Their proteomic response with ethylenediurea (EDU) treatment under tropospheric O3 has not been explored till date. EDU (an organic compound) protects plants exclusively against harmful O3 effects through activation of antioxidant defense mechanism. The present study investigated the mode of action of EDU (hereafter MAE) by identifying proteins involved in apoplast and chloroplast pathways. Two wheat varieties viz. Kundan and PBW 343 (hereafter K and P respectively) and three EDU treatments (0= control, 200, and 300 ppm) have been used for the study. In apoplast isolates, proteins such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), amino methyltransferase, catalase, and Germin-like protein have shown active role by maintaining antioxidant defense system under EDU treatment. Differential expression of these proteins leads to enhanced antioxidative defense mechanisms inside and outside the cell. Chloroplast proteins such as Rubisco, Ferredoxin NADP- reductase (FNR), fructose,1-6 bis phosphatase (FBPase), ATP synthase, vacuolar proton ATPase, and chaperonin have regulated their abundance to minimize ozone stress under EDU treatment. After analyzing apoplast and chloroplast protein abundance, we have drawn a schematic representation of the MAE working mechanism. The present study showed that plants can be capable of O3 tolerance, which could be improved by optimizing the apoplast ROS pool under EDU treatment. more...

A field experiment was conducted to study the response of mungbean to dose and time of nitrogen (N) application and Rhizobium inoculation. Application of 12.5 kg N ha−1 + Rhizobium inoculation reco... more...

Huge quantum of agricultural crop residue from agrarian economies like India is disposed of improperly by open land burning contributing to particulate and gaseous pollutants thereby severely impacting the environment and human health. There is an overwhelming need for sustainable utilization of this misplaced resource as feedstock in biofuel production through anaerobic digestion. Substrate composition influences the digestibility of the substrate and underlying microbial plasticity involved in anaerobic digestion. In this study, anaerobic inoculum was subjected to enrichment in the presence of agricultural residues with different lignin content whose influence on biogas production, and differential modulation/ reorganization of microbial communities was explored. BMP assay emphasized the inverse proportionality between lignin content and biogas yield, with highest biogas yield of 622 mL/g VS added in case of rice straw (lowest lignin, 16.9%), followed by wheat straw—556 mL/g VS (18.12% lignin), sugar cane leaves—451 mL/g VS (21.87% lignin), and lowest biogas yield of 411 mL/g VS added in case of cotton crop waste (highest lignin, 23.97%). Biogas production efficiency was correlated with the selection and shift of microbial communities to key hemicellulolytic (Bacteroides, Clostridium, Prevotella, Thermotoga, Cytophaga) and lignocellulolytic (Bacillus, Geobacter, Flavobacterium, Spirochaeta, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia) genotypes in comparison to initial anaerobic inoculum. Study highlighted that the variable lignin content resulted in genomic reorganization and created a scenario for high biogas production by selectively enriching different methanogenic pathways such as hydrogenotrophic pathways in rice straw metagenome (lowest lignin) and acetoclastic pathways in cotton crop waste metagenome (highest lignin). more...

The present study deals with the assessment of the fluoride concentration from 60 different spatially distributed well locations and associated health risks to rural residents in the Achhnera block of Agra, Western Uttar Pradesh, India. Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were applied to quantify uncertainties in risk estimation. Assessment of the human health risk was carried out using computations based on fluoride ingestion (EDIing), dermal absorption of fluoride (EDIder) and hazard quotient (HQ) in all three categorized groups, i.e., infants, children, and adults. Fluoride concentration analyzed was found to be ranging between 0.15 and 2.50 mg/L with an average value of 1.51 mg/L. More than 58% of samples analyzed surpassed the permissible level as per drinking water specifications. From the model obtained for non-carcinogenic risk due to water ingestion, values of IRw range between 55.4% and 62.5% in all the three exposure groups, while that of Cw ranges between 37% and 42.8%. Based on the HQ investigation it was found that infants were at maximum risk followed by children and the least affected were adults. Results showed that based on the sensitivity analysis, a definition of the probability distributions of CW, IRw, EF and SA is presented as the main factor to improve the accuracy of the result. more...

Due to intensive cropping system, late planting of wheat is very common which causes plants to suffer due to terminal heat stress. To adapt and mitigate the adverse effect of heat on wheat, researchers want to develop heat-tolerant wheat genotypes. Therefore, a set of 11 germplasms of wheat was sown in normal period (November 25) as well as in late period (December 25) at Instructional Farm of Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner. Various physiological, gas exchange and yield attributes were measured at different crop growth stages. Results showed that days to anthesis (DTA), relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), internal CO2 concentration (ci), water use efficiency (WUE) and yield attributes were reduced, whereas transpiration rate (E) was increased under late sown as compared to normal. Most of the physiological and yield characters showed superiority (highest/lowest) in germplasm entry no. 26 followed by 43 and 58. Heat susceptibility index (HSI) was the lowest, whereas chlorophyll stability (CSI) and heat tolerance index (HTI) were the highest recorded in entry 26 followed by 43. Heat-tolerant germplasm could be selected on the basis of high RWC, MSI, photosynthetic pigments, CSI, A, gs, ci, WUE, yield components and HTI, and low E and HSI. In the present investigation, entry no. 26 (IC279317), 43 (IC335971) and 58 (IC336816) were found the best suited germplasm under heat stress. These germplasms supposed to carry the heat-tolerant genes and may be used for further heat tolerance breeding. more...

The genetic diversity and relationship among improved lines help maximize the use of available genetic resources, reduce genetic vulnerability and facilitate deployment of useful genes and thus broaden the genetic base of new varieties. Forty-one elite lines of mungbean developed during the last three decades were investigated using 80 mapped microsatellite markers for assessing the progress in genetic diversification in Indian mungbean breeding programme. In the analysis, 696 alleles were detected with an average of 8.68 alleles per locus. Gene diversity ranged between 0.93 and 0.05 with a mean of 0.68, and polymorphic information content ranged between 0.92 and 0.05, with a mean of 0.66. Out of 80 microsatellites, 51 were found highly polymorphic with > 0.60 PIC value and these were noticed as most informative. As a result of STRUCTURE analysis, three distinct genetic groups were identified and suggested that breeding programme led to a clear-cut improvement in 100-seed weight, pod length, seeds per pod and plant height in elite lines developed after the year 2000. The grouping pattern was also supported by the factorial and UPGMA analysis. These microsatellites covering all 11 linkage groups proved useful to detect genetic variation and assess the progress in trait improvement in mungbean breeding programme. more...

Nepeta cataria L., commonly known as catmint or catnip, belongs to the family “Lamiaceae” and is indigenous to Europe and Asia. The essential oil of this species is known for the richness and diversity of nepetalactones (NPL) which are used as mosquito/insect repellents in perfumery and cosmetic industries. Reports on Indian catmint germplasm are very meager and warrants exploration of its commercial potential as a natural, non-toxic source of insect repellents. With this objective, commercial open-pollinated seeds of catmint collected from its native, temperate habitat in Himalayas were introduced in the tropical plains. Subsequent to adaptation to a new zone we were able to isolate nineteen individual plants based on plant growth. Hydrodistillation of the fresh herb yielded essential oil in the range of 0.01% to 0.2%. Gas Chromatography (GC) and GC-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of the oil revealed the dominance of monoterpene hydrocarbon, namely, 4aα,7α,7aα NPL (1) isomer (84%). The other two isomers of nepetalactone, 4aα,7α,7aβ NPL (2) and 4aα,7β,7aα NPL (3) were also present, although in very less amounts (1.0% and 1.6%, respectively). Sesquiterpenes identified were α-humulene (traces), (E)-caryophyllene (0.6%) and caryophyllene oxide (1.7%). We compared the identified Indian catmint chemotype with the other oils from temperate, sub-tropical and tropical locations based on literature search. The Indian chemotype was found to be similar to the oils from Burundi, France, Turkey, UK and USA, mainly due to more accumulation of 4aα,7α,7aα NPL (1) isomer. These oils grouped together in Principal Component Analysis. Breeding lines are presently being developed to improve yield related traits in this plant. Multidisciplinary R&D efforts along with setting up industry related guidelines are required to successfully commercialize catmint cultivation. Several species of Nepeta genus have high nepetalactone content too and their potential as a commercial source of these isomers still needs to be explored. more...

Filovirus ebolavirus (ZE; Zaire ebolavirus, Bundibugyo ebolavirus), Neisseria meningitidis (NM), and Trypanosoma brucei (Tb) are serious infectious pathogens, spanning viruses, bacteria and protists and all may target the blood and central nervous system during their life cycle. NM and Tb are extracellular pathogens while ZE is obligatory intracellular, targetting immune privileged sites. By using interactomics and comparative evolutionary analysis we studied whether conserved human proteins are targeted by these pathogens. We examined 2797 unique pathogen-targeted human proteins. The information derived from orthology searches of experimentally validated protein–protein interactions (PPIs) resulted both in unique and shared PPIs for each pathogen. Comparing and analyzing conserved and pathogen-specific infection pathways for NM, TB and ZE, we identified human proteins predicted to be targeted in at least two of the compared host-pathogen networks. However, four proteins were common to all three host-pathogen interactomes: the elongation factor 1-alpha 1 (EEF1A1), the SWI/SNF complex subunit SMARCC2 (matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin subfamily C), the dolichyl-diphosphooligosaccharide--protein glycosyltransferase subunit 1 (RPN1), and the tubulin beta-5 chain (TUBB). These four human proteins all are also involved in cytoskeleton and its regulation and are often addressed by various human pathogens. Specifically, we found (i) 56 human pathogenic bacteria and viruses that target these four proteins, (ii) the well researched new pandemic pathogen SARS-CoV-2 targets two of these four human proteins and (iii) nine human pathogenic fungi (yet another evolutionary distant organism group) target three of the conserved proteins by 130 high confidence interactions. more...

Background: Dental caries is a chronic and multifactorial disease mainly caused by microorganisms that are accumulated on soft and hard tissues of oral cavity. Lactobacillus is one of that kind, produces acid after metabolic breakdown of dietary sugar and reduces the pH of oral environment, resulting in teeth demineralisation or dental caries. Aim: The present study focuses on the distribution and characterisation of lactobacilli in the oral cavity of children which are associated with dental caries formation. Methods: Total 116 swab samples were collected from different age groups of children by swabbing the caries surface of teeth. Physiological, morphological and biochemical characteristics of Lactobacillus were analysed. Whole cell protein profiling using SDS-PAGE was also performed for their characterisation. Molecular characterisation of selected isolates was done using 16S-rRNA sequencing for identification. Results: Total 269 isolates were successfully isolated and identified by physiological and biochemical tests according to Bergey's Manual Systematic Bacteriology, which belongs to the seven species of Lactobacillus i.e., L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. delbrueckii, L. helveticus, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. salivarius. All the isolates were further differentiated by whole cell proteins profiling and species level identification was done by 16S-rRNA gene sequencing method. Conclusions: The present study, suggested that the occurrence of the species of Lactobacillus changes with the age of the individual, but L. rhamnosus (20.54%) and L. acidophilus (18.21%) were abundantly found in age group of 3-12 yr which could be the possible causative agent of dental caries formation in the children of Central India. more...

The field experiment entitled “Interaction effect of varying level of nitrogen and sulphur fertilizers on growth and yield of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under Northern hill zone of Chhattisgarh.” was conducted during the rabi season of 2019-20 at Research farm of Ambikapur (CG). The field experiment was conducted in factorial randomized completely block design constituted of sixteen treatment combinations consisting four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1) and four levels of sulphur fertilizer (0, 20, 30 and 40 kg ha-1) and replicated trice. The result shows that growth and yield attributes, seed yield, oil yield and biological yield were influenced significantly by impose of different levels of nitrogen and sulphur fertilizers simultaneously. Significantly the maximum values of above mentioned parameters were recorded with 120 kg N+ 40Kg S ha-1. However 120 kg N+ 30Kg S ha-1 recorded highest net return (63384.27 ₹ ha-1) with the B: C ratio of 1.51. with the view of results obtained, it can be advocated to the farmers of northern hill zone of Chhattisgarh for optimizing the yield, quality and economics of Indian mustard, it should be applied with 90 kg N ha and 30 kg S ha-1 simultaneously. more...

Malignant hyperthermia is a potentially fatal condition, in which genetically predisposed individuals develop a hypermetabolic reaction to potent inhalation anaesthetics or succinylcholine. Because of the rarity of malignant hyperthermia and ethical limitations, there is no evidence from interventional trials to inform the optimal perioperative management of patients known or suspected with malignant hyperthermia who present for surgery. Furthermore, as the concentrations of residual volatile anaesthetics that might trigger a malignant hyperthermia crisis are unknown and manufacturers' instructions differ considerably, there are uncertainties about how individual anaesthetic machines or workstations need to be prepared to avoid inadvertent exposure of susceptible patients to trigger anaesthetic drugs. The present guidelines are intended to bundle the available knowledge about perioperative management of malignant hyperthermia-susceptible patients and the preparation of anaesthesia workstations. The latter aspect includes guidance on the use of activated charcoal filters. The guidelines were developed by members of the European Malignant Hyperthermia Group, and they are based on evaluation of the available literature and a formal consensus process. The most crucial recommendation is that malignant hyperthermia-susceptible patients should receive anaesthesia that is free of triggering agents. Providing that this can be achieved, other key recommendations include avoidance of prophylactic administration of dantrolene; that preoperative management, intraoperative monitoring, and care in the PACU are unaltered by malignant hyperthermia susceptibility; and that malignant hyperthermia patients may be anaesthetised in an outpatient setting. more...